Standard Lemma guide

decapitate

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /dɪˈkap.ɪt.eɪt/
  • US: /diˈkæp.ə.teɪt/
  • US: /diˈkæp.ɪ.teɪt/
  • US: /dɪ-/
  • US: /də-/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IY0 K AE1 P AH0 T EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To remove the head of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Qualifier: literal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To oust or destroy the leadership or ruling body of (a government etc.).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

cut the head of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the French King was beheaded during the Revolution

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: behead, decollate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: kill

Narrower terms: guillotine

History

Etymology

From French décapiter, from Late Latin dēcapitāre, literally, “to de-head”.